Congratulations to Joseph Lapthorne for being selected as the July 2018 Athlete of the Month. Joseph has had an amazing fitness journey since arriving at Mission, it includes losing 30lbs!!! He is matching running speeds from back in his 20’s. Don’t we all wish we got stronger and faster with age? Well Joseph is putting in the work to accomplish it, hitting PR’s left and right. For those reasons and many more is why Joseph is deserving of Athlete of the month.

Started CrossFit: May 2017

Favorite WOD: Kelly

Least favorite WOD: Annie

Favorite lift: Deadlifts

Least favorite lift: Thrusters

Story: My CrossFit story started after a rough patch in my life. In January of 2017 I dislocated my knee and had a slight tear on my patella tendon causing me to take time away from my fitness goals. During the 4 months I spent with my knee brace on and not working out much I decided to change up my life in a few ways and needed a new physical challenge. I decided that CrossFit would be a good challenge after watching the “Fittest on Earth” documentary on Netflix and started looking for a box to go to. I went to a few box’s before I made it to Mission CrossFit and was quickly approached by Coach Meagan asking me what I was doing at Mission and what I was looking for from CrossFit. I was confident that I would catch on pretty quick due to my time spent weightlifting over the past 8 years, but I was very, very wrong. My first session I tried to do a full snatch (never done that before) with a blue bar and fell on my butt, and it didn’t get any easier from there and I still have a long way to go, but over the past year I have done some pretty amazing things. I have lost 30 pounds since I joined, my running speed matches what I could do when I was 20 (10 years ago), my PRs have shot up and I’ve never been this flexible in my life.

I know there are a lot of amazing athletes out there to choose from and highlight, so getting this honor means a lot to me. Making the choice to be at Mission was at first a choice from the appearance of the gym and the warm welcome I got from the staff, the choice to stay is because of the community and programming. From the coaches knowing what we’re capable of and pushing us to new PRs and better times, to the community giving each other encouragement (or crap) to finish a workout or just give some high-fives after a rough workout, its the people that make this such a great time and the best time I’ve ever had working out. I have made some great friends (shout to the 6:30 class (best thirty)), met my amazing girlfriend, and pushed myself to a new physical limit thanks to being at Mission and I can’t imagine not making this choice when I did. Thank you everyone for making this place what it is and thank you for letting me share some of my story since being at Mission.